Constant leverage engine



Dec. 5, 1950 J. RIEDERER 2,533,046

CONSTANT LEYERAGE ENGINE Filed Sept. 17, 1949 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 5, 1950 RlEDERER 2,533,046

CONSTANT LEVERAGE ENGINE I Filed Sept. 17, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. E1 Maw 2/22/2722 N BY Patented Dec. 5, 1950 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE CONSTANT LEVERAGE ENGINE Jacob Riederer, Stowe, Vt.

Application September 17, 1949, Serial No. 116,288

8 Claims.

shaft arrangement for reciprocating type engines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gear type crank shaft arrangement for reciprocating engines wherein maximum power effect on the power stroke of the piston is had throughout the full stroke of the piston and of the piston rod, the full downward stroke of the piston and of the operating gear acting with maximum effect upon the crank shaft gear, the connecting rod acting in a straight line' throughout the full length of the piston stroke. I

It is another object of the present invention to provide a gear type crank shaft arrangement wherein the downward stroke of a piston effects the operation of the crank shaft whilethe connecting rod is kept in a vertical position throughout the full length of the stroke wherein relief or a turn of the actuating gear is effected by rotation and by the slippage of the operating gear upon its pivot connection, there being a slot through the gear to permit the working of the operating gear upon the pivot connection of the same and wherein the operating gear isso shaped that the opposite sides of the. gear are used for successive strokes of the piston in the downward direction and the end and rounded ends of the 1 gear are used for the return stroke ofthe piston, the fulcrum lever acton being effected upon the operating gear on the return stroke of the piston.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a gear type crank shaft arrangement for reciprocal engines which is of simple construction -inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, has a minimum number of parts, compact and eflicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention. reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a reciprocating engine employing the gear type crank shaft arrangement of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the engine taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '3 is a similar sectional view after the piston has been lowered to the bottom of the cyl inder;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 with the piston starting its return stroke.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 after the piston has been advanced to near the end of its return stroke.

' Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the crank shaft arrangement.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken on line of Fig. 6.

Fig.8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the reciprocating engine with portions broken away and looking upon the gear crank shaft arrangement.

Referring now to the figures, l0 represents a cylinder block having the usual cylinder chambers therein in which operates pistons l2. The cylinder block has a stub shaft l3 extending from its forward end on which is rotated the usual fan I for causing a flow of air through a forward radiator |5. On the fan is a pulley |5 over which passes a fan belt that drives a generator I8. This fan belt is driven by a pulley ill on the end of a driving shaft 2| that extends.

through crank case 22. This shaft 2| extends through the rear of the crank case 22 and carries Depending from the cylinder block into "thecrank case 22 is a plurality of depending brackets 24, one bracket being adjacent to each cylinder. The lower end of the bracket has an en-' largement 25 with a stub pin 28 therein. This pin'28 extends through a slot 29 in an operating gear 3|. The operating gear has straight gear sides 32 and 33 and rounded end gear portions 34. Each of these gears 3| are meshed with a round gear 35 which is fixed to shaft 2| running through the crank case. Shaft 2| is supported on a bracket 36. There are a plurality of these brackets also depending from the cylinder block and.

preferably connected with the lower end of the bracket 24, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6.

If desired, as shown in Fig. 6, the bracket 24 may contain a guide 31 on which moves a slide 38, Fig. '7. The slide has a pin 39 to which connecting rod 4| is connected to effect a driving action upon the operating gear 3|.

Piston rod 4| may be curved as shown in the figures so that on the return movement of the operating gear a maximum angular displacement of the connecting rod 4| can be had without the connecting rod striking the bottom edge of the cylinder wall. The lower end of the connecting rod is journalled upon the center of the operatinggear 3|. As shown in Fig. 2, the movement of the piston causes direct downward displacement ofthe gear 3| so that one of its sides 32 or 33 causes the rotation of the gear 35. As long as the stroke is continued in the vertical downward direction, the straight side of the gear is being used upon the gear 35. In Fig. 3, the piston I2 is shown in its downward position and the gear 3| remains vertical. As the return stroke of the piston l2 starts, the gear 3| will pivot about the pin 28 and the rounded portion 34 of the gear will act upon the gear 35. The movement of the rounded portion 34 upon the gear continues until the piston l2 has been elevated to its fully raised position and upwardly of the position shown in Fig. 5 whereby to locate the other straight side of the actuating gear 3| preparatory to the operation of the next power and downward stroke. It can be seen that the leverage acting upon the shaft 2| remains constant throughout the full extent of the power stroke. The gear 3! is fu1- crumed to eiTect the return or the upward movement of the gear. During the return stroke, the connecting rod moves outwardly at its lower end togive maximum turning action upon: the gear 3| during this return stroke.

The gear teeth are preferably of the herring bone type whereby to eliminate any tendency for the gears. to slide from one another and to eliminate side thrust. The formof the invention as shown in Fig. 6 is Slightly different from the invention as shown in the other figures, the principle of operation being fundamentally the same. On each gear 3t is a transverse portion 43 in which is pin 44 to which the connecting rod 4| is attached. The transverse portion 43 is sufiiciently spaced from the slot 24 as to permit the sliding of the gear over the pin 28.

It will now' beapparent that the lever arm which is effective upon the turningof' the shaft 21' is constant throughout the complete downward stroke of the piston. It should be further apparent that upon the return stroke of the piston, the gear is pivoted to position the opposite side of the same for the next downward stroke.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall. be understood thatsuch. changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present-invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of'my invention, what is claimed is:

A reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder block having a cylinder opening therein, a crank case supporting said cylinder block, a drive. shaft extending through the crank case, a gear hired to said drive shaft, a piston; operable in said cylinder opening, an operating gear engaging with the gear on said shaft, said operating gear having straight sides and rounded ends, a connecting rod pivotally connected to the pistonat one end'and to the operating gear at the other end centrally of the operating gear and meansfor slida-bly connecting the operating gear to the cylinder block for rotational" movement with respect thereto.

2. A reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder :block having a cylinder opening therein, a piston adapted to work in said" cylinder opening, a' crank casesupportingsaid cylinder block, a: shaft extending through the crank case from one end to theother, a gear on-the' shaft, an operating gear having two straight sides and' rounded ends engaging witl-"r said gear on the shaft; a connect't T ingrod between the piston and the operatinggear whereby upon the downward stroke of the operatihg gear rotation of thegear on the shaft is ef fect'ed during the power strokewithout a change in the' efiective lever' arm, said cylinder' block hair ing 2.- depending bracket, a pin fixed upon the depending bracket, said operating gear having a slot receiving said pin whereby the operating gear can be rotated when the pin is at the upper end of the slot.

3. A reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder block having a cylinder opening therein, a piston adapted to Work in said cylinder opening, a. crank case supporting said cylinder block, a shaft extending through the crank case from one end tothe other, a gear on the shaft, an operating gear having two straight sides and rounded ends engaging with said gear on the shaft, a connecting rod between the piston and the operating gear whereby upon the downward stroke of the operating gear rotation of the gear on the shaft is efiected during the power stroke without a change in the effective lever arm, said cylinder block having a depending bracket, a pin fixed upon the depending bracket, said operating gear having a slot receiving said pin whereby the operating gear can be rotated when the pin is at the upper end of the slot, and said connecting rod being of curved shape to permit the pivoting of the operating gear without the inter ference of the cylinder block.

4 In a multiple piston reciprocatmg" engine comprising a cylinder block having a pmranty of cylinder openings, pistons workable in said opening, a crank case su porting said cylinder block, a plurality of depending brackets on the cylinder block, pivot pins fixed to the end of the depending brackets, operating gears having straight sides and rounded ends and a slot receiving the pivot. pins, there being a gear for each pivot pin, a shaft extending longitudinally through the gear casing and having respectively" gears. therein meshing with the opera-tingv gears, and connecting rodspivotaliy connected respectively to the working pistons and to the repective operating. gears.

5; Al reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder block having a cylinder opening therein,. a crank case supporting said cylinder block, drive shaft extending through the crankcase, a gear fixed to said drive shaft, a piston opera ble in. said cylinder opening, an operating gear engaging with the gear" on said shaft, said op era-ting gear havingstraight sides and roundedends, a connecting rod pivotally connected to the piston-at one end and to the operating gear at the other end centrally of the operating. gear, and means for slidably connecting the operat ing' gear to the: cylinder block to permit the re tation of the operating gear onits return stroke, and said: gears having gear teeth of the herring bone type to eliminate side thrust of the" gears with respect toone another.

6. In' a multiple piston reciprocating engine comprising a cylinder block having a plurality of cylinder openings, pistons workable in said opening, a crank case supporting said cyli-n' dei block, a. plurality of depending brackets on the cylinder block, pivot pins. fixed to the end ot the depending brackets, operating gears having straight sides and rounded ends and slot re= ceiving the pivot pins, there being a gear for each pivot pin, a shaft extending longitudinally through the gear casing and having respectively gears therein meshing with the operatingfgears, and connecting rods pivotally' connected respec tively to the working pistons and to-the respec tive operating gears; and said connecting. rods being of curved shape to prevent the interfer 5 ence of the connecting rod with the lower end of the cylinder opening.

7. A reciprocating engine comprising ahousing, said housing having a cylinder opening therein, a piston workable in said cylinder opening, a shaft extending through the housing, a gear on said shaft, an operating gear having straight sides and rounded ends meshing with the gear on the shaft to drive the same, a connecting rod between the piston and the operating gear and pivotally connected with the operating gear, a pivot pin carried on the housing, said operating gear having an elongated slot receiving the pivot pin on the housing whereby to permit the rotation of the operating gear over the rounded ends of the same, the straight sides of the operating gear being used with the stroke of the piston.

5 the gear on the shaft.

engaging with the gear on the shaft, said oper-,

ating gear being adapted to pivot on said slide at the end of its downward stroke to present the gear teeth on the rounded end with the gear on the shaft and to efiect the reversal of the operating gear to place its opposite side in mesh with JACOB RIEDERER.

No references cited. 

